Spitfire surf!

04-12-2013, 11:41 PM

So I took out my new 6'2" Spitfire tonight and had the worse surf I have had in months. Felt like I was sliding out and did not feel like it was going down the line and it was just horrendous. There were only 2 people out because it was 1-3 foot and windy. I am not sure how this board handles wind as it could have been the chop, or maybe it was the fins not sure. I have it set up as a quad with the k2.1 fins. Felt stiff and not very loose.

Any thoughts would be great! It was just bugging me that it happened as I have been surfing really good lately.

@hwork50, if you are looking for a thruster set, check out the Jeremy Flores, UL-5, or H3 Nexus. For quad set, I heard TC Aqua line, H3 Nexus or SA-1. If your waves are very weak, it's a good idea to get really big front fins and probably run a quad set.

Have never surfed the DOM/Spitty with thrusters, how does that go? I will only be surfing this thing 2-3 foot and I may keep the 6'2" or may keep the 6'0" not sure as I will have to surf both. Going on a surf trip and taking the 6'0" so I want to be prepared for whatever and get my fins right.

@hwork50, i personally like riding my spitfire as a thruster. Currently running Futures EA techflex. It allows me to maneuver faster and easier. With a quad set, it's fast down the line but when I want to hit a critical section it sometimes bites. As for the Dom, i heard quad is better because it helps to stabilize the board. The Dom has a thick booty err tail haha.

So I went out to the garage to take a look at my fins and put some different fins in and low and behold I had the front ones in back and the back ones in front. I would not recommend surfing like this as they do not work this way and will make you look like a kook. Pretty darn embarrassing. I guess that is why I struggled so hard for my first surf. I know when you get a new board it is an adjustment but that is ridiculous!

Know the feeling. I finished one session on my new Unibrow really disheartened because it seemed to be behaving so randomly. No bite, slipping in turns, lacking drive. Put it down to being really tired after a long surf and the deteriorating conditions. A friend came by later, asked to see my new board and immediately spotted the side fin broken off at the tabs! That reminds me, must order the replacement from Indo Fins so it can be waiting for me at the Hotel in Bali. Sweltering in the heat in Singapore at the moment, roll on Saturday in Bali.

First ride on a new spitfire for me on Saturday. Made a fatal mistake and did not wax far enough forward for my front foot. Felt like the deck was nano tuned and front foot slid out from under me. Board paddled really well but was such a long paddle to get out the back and I had no wax with me so blew my first session.
All my fault, felt like a fool.

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Sounds like a fin issue. I like to use large front fins to give drive in a quad setup. Quads can be very fin sensitive. Sometimes I love the quad setup, sometimes I hate it. You cant beat the thruster for reliability!